On Monday, November 10, 2025, special guard forces at Evin Prison raided Ward 7 and transferred two political prisoners sentenced to death—Ehsan Afrashteh and Mehdi Farid—to Qezel Hesar Prison in Karaj for the execution of their sentences. The transfer prompted protests and a collective hunger strike among political prisoners.
Incident Description
According to sources inside the prison, around 10:30 a.m., the guards—acting under the order of the prison warden and supervised by Mahmoudi (head of Ward 7) and Yousefi (security chief)—stormed Hall 2 of Ward 7. The officers first ordered prisoners into the yard under the pretext of a routine inspection, then locked the door and began calling names alphabetically. When the first group entered, Afrashteh was violently separated and taken out of the hall by four guards. Simultaneously, another prisoner, Mehdi Farid, was taken from the visiting area to an undisclosed location. During the raid, several inmates were beaten, and at least five were summoned to the warden’s office. In protest, the prisoners of Ward 7 refused lunch and began a hunger strike.
Background and Arrest
Ehsan Afrashteh, born in 1993 in Isfahan, holds a master’s degree in civil engineering. He was arrested in early 2024 upon returning from Turkey and spent several months in solitary confinement under interrogation at a security facility. In October 2024, he was transferred to the public ward of Evin Prison and later sentenced to death by Judge Abolqasem Salavati of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on charges of ‘espionage for Israel.’ The death sentence was upheld by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court and reaffirmed after the first request for retrial was rejected by Branch 9. Currently, his case is under a second retrial review by Branch 29 of the Supreme Court—considered the last opportunity to halt the execution.
Violations of Fair Trial Principles
Throughout Afrashteh’s arrest and trial, fundamental principles of due process were blatantly violated: prolonged solitary confinement, denial of access to legal counsel during interrogation, forced confessions under duress, and threats to his family to maintain silence. No credible evidence supporting the espionage charges has been presented, and the case relies heavily on coerced confessions. These violations contravene Articles 14 and 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory.
Physical and Psychological Condition
According to informed sources, Afrashteh has developed serious physical and psychological problems as a result of long-term stress and uncertainty about his fate. Despite repeated requests, the authorities have refused to transfer him to the prison infirmary or an external medical facility. Fellow inmates report that guards’ behavior toward him has recently changed, raising fears of an imminent execution.
Prisoners’ Protest and Solidarity
In October 2025, prison officials had previously attempted to transfer Afrashteh to Qezel Hesar, but the move was blocked by collective resistance from political prisoners in Ward 7, who chanted slogans such as ‘No to Execution’ and ‘Enough of Executions.’ This time, the guards used force and surprise to prevent a repeat of that protest.
Human Rights Analysis
Afrashteh’s case exemplifies the regime’s systematic use of the death penalty as a tool for political repression. The absence of judicial transparency, coerced confessions, and sudden transfer to the execution facility illustrate the continued breach of Iran’s international human rights obligations. Depriving prisoners—especially political and ideological prisoners—of medical care constitutes a deliberate and systematic practice aimed at breaking their resistance through suffering and gradual deterioration.
Conclusion and Call to Action
As the Supreme Court reviews the case for the second time, human rights defenders and international organizations are calling for the immediate suspension of Afrashteh’s death sentence, a fair and transparent retrial, and an end to politically motivated executions in Iran. Afrashteh’s family remains under constant pressure and threats from security forces to prevent them from publicizing the case. His case has become a clear symbol of systemic injustice and the ongoing violation of human rights in Iran, where human lives are used as instruments of political intimidation and control.
